Mercedes M. Yardley

A Broken Laptop

Writing with Kids

Oh. My. Gosh. What a nightmare!

Yes, my children.

I love them and they drive me crazy. My son is six. My daughter isn’t quite two, and is a diva. I’m not sure how to write around them. Usually I sit on the couch with my laptop (and at least one child) balanced on my knees. I’ve tried writing while he’s at school and she’s napping, but lately that’s when all of my day meetings are scheduled. I’ve tried staying up at night, but my body is crying out for sleep. Not to mention that the kidlets seem to be possessed by demonic forces lately. What is that called? Ah, yes. Summer.

The subject of children and writing has come up a lot lately, and it seems that most authors I talk to are divided into two camps:

1) They have childcare and don’t see their children a lot. When they do, they’re 100% present.

2) They let writing go and will get to it when their kids are older.

Wait, what? How many people can actually do that? How many people really want to? I refuse to believe that these are the only options! What about the rest of us? You can’t tell me I’m the only mom with one child pulling pillows out of pillowcases and the other playing with the Guitar Hero whammy bar while I’m tap-tapping away! I know there are a lot of people who are writing with kids as part of their daily lives. So, where are they? What’s the best way to do it?

At least I know they won’t let me take myself too seriously. After all, who do you think taught her to make this face?

0 Comments on “Writing with Kids”

It is tricky. At your kid’s ages, there are still a couple ways to sneak in a few pages throughout the day. And I’m just throwing things out here, so forgive me if any of them are stupid and/or don’t apply.

Get up two hours earlier than they do (kind of what I’m doing now that my kids are on Summer break).

When the little one takes a nap, plug the other one into the TV — it’s okay because it’s a necessary and strategic comprimise.

Pick a weekday, call it your ‘writing day’, and send them away. Also a necessary and strategic comprimise. (I used to do this, but of course I have the benefit of having my mother in the next town.)

I guess I’m just saying there are more than two ways to be a writer and a parent. You should still be able to do both well, but more than likely, it’ll mean seeing a little bit less of your children, and having a lower wordage output .